Reflections on Jesus Youth (BJRE***)

 The Enthusiasm and Dynamics of Jesus Youth 85 (By Dr. Edward Edezhath - Published in Kairos Magazine in 2025) Just a couple of weeks ago, I found myself in Houston, TX, standing outside St. Angela Merici Church when I met Josy and his wife. A few other Jesus Youth were there too, and soon we were chatting away like old friends. Josy, it turned out, was the one who designed the Christmas card we used to prepare for the Jesus Youth ’85 conference! I even had a PDF copy of it on my phone. As we stood there reminiscing, Josy began to share some wonderful memories from those hectic but grace-filled days leading up to that historic gathering forty years ago. I was glad that I had most of the movement’s early materials stored online. When someone said, “Could we take a look at the Jesus Youth materials? It would be great to see what you all did back then,” I was more than happy to oblige. Later that evening, we gathered at home, opened up some old files, and dived into the story of Jesus...

The Art and Joy of Balancing Old with New (By Dr. Edward Edezhath, published in Kairos Global in 2025) When my elder son got married many years ago, he wanted the church service to be held in a traditional style. He found a good Latin choir and arranged the liturgy in a quiet church. I glanced through the song sheet, filled with Latin hymns. There were a few mistakes, and I began correcting them. My son was mildly surprised that I knew the songs and remarked, “Oh, you Jesus Youth know Latin songs!” I wasn’t surprised by his reaction. With my background in Charismatic spirituality, he didn’t expect me to appreciate the old ways, like Latin hymns. During my college years, most young people dismissed traditional practices. The Charismatic Renewal came then—soon after the Second Vatican Council—when freedom and freshness were in the air. New expressions flourished: spontaneous prayers, friendly Eucharistic celebrations, rejection of printed prayers, and even prayer sessions that began with...